Wichita eagle., 1887-11-19
IRELAND'S CHAMPIONS.
THE ARRIVAL OF 0'C0NN0R AND
ESM0NDE
In the City Last Night-The Object of
Their Visit Stated in an Interview.

Arthur OConnor, NJ. P Sir Thomas
| GraUtan Esmonde, NJ. P, the two Irish
gentlemen who came to America in the in
terest Of their country arrived over the
Frisco from the west about o'clock last
night. They were met at the depot by
Joseph Richard who had lived near Sir
Thomas in the old country and Mr.. Healy,
president of the Irish Leagne in this city.
They We're escorted to the Manhattan and
shortly afterwards a serenade was rendered
them by St. Joseph's band.
O'Connor, the elder, is tall straight,
good looking man with blue eyes and
black hair and beard Sir Thomas is but
p years of age; heavy land owner in
| counties Wixford and Wicklow and Dub
! lin. He has pleasant face, and is most
affable and agreeable in manners. In
short conversation last evening he said,
/ My impression of America is
the most favorable, it is the
! greatest country | ever saw. | have tray
| eled quite extensively over England and
! Continental Europe, yet | find that Amer
! lea is a thousand years in advance Of their
| progress and enterprise"
| They have crossed the continent from
| New York to San Francisco and are now
! on the return home, being compelled to DE
| at home at the opening of Parliament in
| February. They viii go out to st. Mary s
| tomorrow, leaving the city at 1890 o clock.
! Last evening shortly after their arrival
! they were seen ut their room at the Man
| haitian and in an interview
with an EAGLE representative
| stated the object of their visit to Americ;
/ the condition of their own emerald island
aud the reception here accorded them.
I'VE came over here" stated Mr.. O'Con-
nor 'as members Of the Irish party in parl-
| lament and as representatives of the Irish
! league in parliament to secure the active
assistance and practical assistance OF the
! Irish people in America during what we
believe to be the crisis of the whole struggle.
/ The Irish people in America have helped
us during the past year to an extent which
we desire to acknowledge, and the assist
ance they have given US have enabled us to
effect that without their help we could not
have done. But the next few months will
see probably the disintegration of those
political parties that still oppose the Irish
National demands The present govern
ment can not last long, but while it does
last all the pOwerS'which the law places in
the hands of landlords and all the eX-
ceptionaI arbitrary powers which the late
coercion act gives TO the government will
certainly be used to the utmost to break
down the organization of the people and
to check national movement. 1t is a ques-
ton OF life and death with the government.
If we can hold out against the government
the home rule viii live.
"Or course as to the present situation
we are hopeful enough" said Sir Thomas
ESmonde The people are organized. The
coercion act so far has been failure. The
government made many failures When it
shot the people at litchelstown to break
up the public meeting held there, they
only made friends for Ireland. OF course
they thought they would scourge US; it
was however, the means of turning great
many voters in England in our
favor The same may be said of Mr..
O'Brien's imprisonment; for Mr.. O'Brien
in Jail speaks even more powerful than if
he was out. The English themselves had
experience in the Trafalgar square Incl
dent how Ireland is ruled. One
might think from the past
that they looked almost for
an opportunity to make mistakes. We
are perfectly certain that there viii be an
election soon And thus the present gov
eminent viii be changed. 1t is thus with
the English people themselves that the
battle remains The government is grow
ing more and more odious, hence when the
general election takes place Gladstone is
certain to be 'returned-and this means
home ruIe for Ireland. We can speak Oh
this point for we have been all over
England helping Liberals in their contests
with Tories and found everywhere q great
change in favor OF Ireland. There is no
doubt but that the English masses are
turning to home rule. They are getting
tired OF having their own grievances I'M
heard, and they know until this Irish ques-
ton is settled their own affairs VIII not be
attended to.
What is our PLAN You ask. 1t is some-
thing like this: The head OF the Irish
league in America makes arrangements for
us to attend the meetings in the principal
centers of Irish population. We have
had very large meetings and gotten
much assistance. Mr.. Fitzgerald has
issued an appeal TO the Irish for assistance
and has headed the subscription with 81, 200
himself.
The situation in Ireland is very bad.
The harvest in Ireland is poor; we have
had the worst year since the great famine.
We had no rain until August and thus the
crops were destroyed. In some parts of
Ireland where formerly there was only
green grass, there is now parched grass
and barren fields. As a result there will
be great distress, poverty and many cannot
pay their rents They will be evicted
and it viii be our business to maintain
these unfortunate people. Then there are
other reasons why we need the money
to evangeIizs the English people Our
people have won ali the elections
for the Liberals. Then we must
meet law expenses to fight
the coercion act in the court Then to pay
registration Of voters. Under the law Of
Ireland man must prove his
claim to vote. His vote Is
generally objected to- and as
our people are generally poor we must EN-
ploY lawyers to take their cases-this ex-
pense is simply enormous. In Ulster they
amounted 10 over $4,000. In my constitu-
ency, South County Dublin. our expenses
amounted 10 between five and six thousand
dollars. They must be incurred every
year Everything IS done to keep the PEG
pie out OF the exercise OF their rights
Then there IS the expense of publication
of books, pamphlets, etc, TO be
sent broadcast over the country
In the meetings we have attended we
have been assisted 10y the very best of peo-
pie Our meetings have been presided
over by mayors Of cities, governors Of +
states and United States senators. and orr
support has come from the very best class